Thoughts on Windsurfing getting voted out of the 2016 Olympics so that kiteboarding could get in.
Designed originally for the Beijing Olympic RS:X Windsurfing medal race as a way to allow user interaction.
Now a blog to record some of my impressions of the sport from the perspective of having started windsurfing in 1974.

Nevertheless
there are serious issues to address as important decisions like this
impact the lives of thousands of athletes, coaches, MNAs, their sponsors
and companies involved in the whole sport

Governance:From my calculations over 30% of the
votes cast ~ 6 ~ in favour of kite by council members were either made
in error, confusion about the voting process, against the guidance given
by their constituencies or after no consultation with those
constituencies.

In addition a further 21% of votes cast - this
time by ISAF Vice Presidents - were either against the interest of the
geographical constituency that was instrumental in first nominating them
and then voting for them and/or their MNAs have since distanced
themselves from their actions either publicly or privately.

Some
may argue that the ISAF VPs do not vote for any particular geographical
grouping. To them I would ask whether the fact that there is one VP each
from Asia, South America and North America with the Oceania being
represented through the treasurer is just a coincidence or whether they
are there to represent the geographical area from which they come ?

51%
of the voting decisions for Kite were therefore based on the
spur-of-the-moment or on personal preference without proper
consideration of the impact of the outcomes either for kitesurfing or
windsurfing.

ParticipationDespite the large number of people
claimed by the IKA to be engaged in kitesurfing worldwide, this only
produced 12 women entries to the 2011 Kitesurfing course racing world
championships from 10 nations of which only ONE voted for kite and the
rest voted for windsurfing. There must be a message for ISAF in that
statistic.

Additionally only 2 - one in the production division -
of those women managed to complete all the races without letters in
their scoreline

This compares to 80 women registered for the 2012
RS:X World Championships from 37 nations and 5 continents with 16 of
them competing for the last 7 qualification spots for London 2012.

In
the meantime, please enjoy this video showing 1111 windsurfers taking
part in the 2011 Defi-Wind at Le Gruissan in France.
http://youtu.be/XtdOGpvpq30

This is just a small illustration of
the shear size of the sport of windsurfing and the numbers taking part
in racing in one form or another

Whilst kite obviously has
potential, it is as yet unproven against the obvious success of the RS:X
Women's Class who are second only to the Laser Radial in terms of
numbers of athletes and country participation - 39 nations in the
Olympic Q Series -

It seems odd that you did not take this into account

ISAF liabilityWhilst
you seem happy to accept the bland assurances of the sport of
kitesurfing becoming safer and dismiss any misgivings in one line of
your report. National, Regional, City and local governments around the
world have seen fit to either ban kitesurfing altogether or severely
limit the geographical locations where it can be enjoyed

In Sydney Harbour, the venue for the 2000 Olympic Regatta kitesurfing is banned

In Singapore, the venue for the 2010 Youth Olympic Games, kitesurfing in banned

In Cyprus, the venue for the 2013 ISAF Youth Worlds, kitesurfing is banned

On Lake Garda, Italy, the venue for the Italian leg of the EUROSAF Olympic Classes Regatta Circuit kitesurfing is banned

There are a lot more examples but these serve to illustrate my point

These
restrictions are to protect other users of these waters from the risk
of injury. In fact 122 kite surfers have been killed in the last 10
years. Other casualties are hard to verify but here are a few examples

Dangerous
situations can occur despite proper training and safety precautions due
to unpredictable conditions and difficulties with equipment.

Whilst
I appreciate that you thought that you were acting in everyone's best
interest, I would urge you and all our friends on the ISAF Women's Forum
to do their own due diligence. The three points I have made should be
enough to give you all proper reasons to reflect.

Meanwhile,
here's what Paul Henderson has to say " Just an observation from a
has-been ISAF President and IOC Member who first went to then IYRU in
1970 as a smart-ass Canuck. Never in all that time has a Council changed
40% of the classes in an Olympiad. This totally disrupts the sailors,
which is the reason for the Games, not some unobtainable TV exposure. No
other sport has ever done this. One event maybe, but 40%? I trust that
the IOC Program Commission will ask ISAF to review all its decisions...
including the keelboat exclusion"

Has ISAF made a balanced well thought through decision?

Warm Regards

PS.
ISAF selected women's match racing then booted it out before its first
Olympic Regatta. ISAF booted the multi-hull out and was subject to major
criticism. Now it has done the same for windsurfing with a spur of the
moment decision. Do you feel that the decision making process is
producing consistently good decisions?

Sign the petition here
As it was expected, it didn’t take long for Spain’s top windsurfers
to express their anger, frustration and bitterness with their country’s
vote against their discipline and in favor of kiteboarding in the recent
ISAF Mid-Year Meeting. The first one to publicly express her feelings
was Blanca Manchón in a letter to the President of the Spanish Olympic
Committee where she asks for his intervention in order to rectify what
was, according to the official line, an “error”.

Dear Mr. President,I am Blanca Manchón, a 25-year old sportswoman from Seville,
member of the Royal Spanish Sailing Federation in the Olympic windsurf
discipline (currently the RS: X Class), where I won two golds, one
silver and one bronze at the World Championships, three absolute titles
in the World Cup, an Olympic diploma at the 2004 Athens Olympics, four
medals at the European Championships. I was named best female sailor of
the world in 2010 by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), in
addition to being ADO [Spain's Olympic preparation program] athlete at
its top level in 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2011.The reason I’m sending you this letter is to inform you about the
events that took place in relation to windsurf’s Olympic status and
the serious consequences its exclusion from the Olympic program could
have to our country’s sports. In fact, it is a discipline where large
amounts of money have been invested by the state and in which we are
strong contenders for medals at the Olympic Games, not just in London
2012, but in 2016 and 2020, given the potential of Spain’s windsurfers.In May of this year, the International Sailing Federation (ISAF)
submitted to vote a proposal to all national federations to change three
of the existing Olympic disciplines for the 2016 Olympics.
Inexplicably, and for pure profit and economic interests of the ISAF,
windsurfing was eliminated from the Olympic disciplines in favor of
kiteboarding.The behind-the-scenes politics and lobbying by the ISAF managers
in favor of kiteboarding on countries that usually cast a blank vote,
not having representatives in any of the two disciplines, and the
absence in that vote of the Asian countries, a driving force behind
windsurf’s Olympic presence, produced an unexpected result in that vote
with 19 ballots against 17 in favor of kiteboarding, to the detriment
of windsurfing.

When the result of the vote was published, and not believing what
had happened, I asked for the list of countries that had voted. That is
when I got shocked and confused to see that my own country, Spain, had
voted for the kite, which in turn influenced the Latin American vote to
switch from windsurfing to kiteboarding.Spain also votes on behalf of Portugal and Andorra, in the
so-called Group E. Its vote was for windsurfing, according to a previous
agreement between the three countries, although Spain, at the very last
moment and with a close vote, changed its decision …What should we call that? What interests drove Spain to change
its vote, a vote that was previously agreed, at least in theory, with
the athletes, the technical directors and the regional sailing
federations?This decision has destroyed all the work accomplished over the
past 12 years by the main regional federations of Spain and put an end
to the realistic possibility that Marina Alabau, Blanca Manchón or
Pastor Ivan, those that will represent the country because of their
sports qualification, become strong contenders for medals in the Olympic
Games of 2016 and 2020.SPAIN IS A WORLD POWER in Olympic windsurfing, thanks to the
support we had from the Sports Council and the ADO Plan. However, the
RFEV voted for the unknown discipline of kiteboarding… So much effort,
sacrifice and money invested in us for what? I do not understand
anything at all.The entire sailing world is at war through the social networks,
mainly through Facebook and Twitter, trying to change ISAF’s
controversial decision at its next meeting to be held in November.
However, they also ask Spain to explain its vote for TREASON.I have personally requested an explanation from the president of
the Royal Spanish Sailing Federation, Gerardo Pombo, who hours before
the publication of the list of countries of the aforementioned voting
was defending tooth and nail that Spain had voted in favor of windsurf.
Once the list was made public he rectified and issued a statement on
RFEV’s website, recognizing the mistake: “It was just a mistake, a
simple voting mistake.” As if to tick a box was so difficult so that one
would err in something so transcendental, in this case for the Olympic
discipline of windsurfing and all the infrastructure that was put in
place throughout all those years.
However, this rectification was only sent to the presidents of
Spain’s regional sailing federations and was published solely on RFEV’s
website. It wasn’t sent to all the media that usually received the
sailing federation’s press releases. In addition, this rectification is
useless if it’s not accompanied by the intention to cancel Spain’s vote
in ISAF. The vote was against Spain’s sporting interests, it was
disloyal to Portugal and Andorra, to all windsurfers and completely
ignored the recommendations of all technical directors.With this letter I kindly ask you, in accordance with your
responsibility as the leader of the country’s sport, to ask for the
pertinent explanations from the president of the Royal Spanish Sailing
Federation in relation to what took place and give him the necessary
orders so that Spain invalidates its vote in ISAF, in order for us, the
athletes, technicians and technical directors of the sport of sailing,
not to feel embarrassed by this situation.Gerardo Pombo, president of the RFEV, knows exactly what buttons
he has to press in order for the ISAF to rectify this unjust decision at
its next meeting, scheduled for November.Thanking you in advance for all the support I received during my career to date, Blanca Manchon Dominguez (ESP-1)
Sign the petition here

US Sailing sent out a lengthy article in support of
the decision to replace Windsurfing with Kiteboards in the Olympics. Kiwi Bruce Kendall (won the Olympic windsurfing Gold medal in 1988,
Bronze medal in 1984) is calling BS on it, and Bruce's comments are inserted normally in the italicized US Sailing piece below. Here is a link to the original US Sailing piece.

US Sailing Statement on Kiteboarding vs. Windsurfing
Prepared by Dean Brenner, US Sailing Board Member and Chairman, Olympic Sailing Committee

Every four years, difficult decisions are made about Olympic
sailing events. The choices made always leave some part of the sailing
community frustrated and feeling, at least on some level,
disenfranchised. I say this as a former Soling sailor who was quite
upset with decisions made in November 2000, and a long-time keelboat
sailor who did not agree with the recent decisions to exclude keelboats
from the Games entirely. I know, first hand, how it feels to have the
part of the sport I care most about excluded.

Most will agree that fleet to match racing in keel boats being
dropped from the Olympics after 2000 was a backwards step, especially
considering the retention of the Star for a further 12 years.
A keel boat should be in the Olympics. It is well represented
placed in the para Olympics & able bodied sailors should have more
opportunity to race against those handicapped sailors.
Possibly a mixed keel boat class would have been more sensible
than mixed multi hull? No disrespect intended.
Now that the America's Cup is on multi hull, possibly this
should be the Olympic Fleet to Match racing class? All food for thought.
Previous dubious decisions do not make following dubious
discussions OK.There is no right and wrong here, or good and bad. On
behalf of US Sailing, I would like to raise my hand and explain the
reasoning behind the votes.

History has proven there are always right & wrong decisions
& some times both sides weigh equally.
Wrong decisions are more likely to be made when the subject has
not been thoroughly been researched or there is a vested interest.
Weighing up all the facts of this decision, at this time it
appears the May 5th decision to replace windsurfing with Kite racing is a
wrong decision.While the Board of US Sailing makes final decisions on all
recommendations to our ISAF delegation, much of the thinking on Olympic
events and equipment originates in the Olympic Sailing Committee, which I
lead. The OSC believes, and I continue to support this 100%, that kites
will be good for the sport of sailing, worldwide. The reasons are
simple:1. Kiteboarding is an exciting and rapidly growing area of the sport.

Kite racing is currently a small & undeveloped sport
compared to windsurfing was back to the mid 1970's.
It is still too early to judge if kite racing is a narrow niche
sport with a low ceiling of participants & if the numbers would
naturally continue to increase without the Olympic ticket.
Currently the majority of Kite retailers have not stocked kite
racing boards as the evolution of design has been too fast &
superseded designs have to be sold at below cost.

Most of the Kite board brands have not invested in building kite
racing board molds & are waiting for the evolution to slow down as
it has been too hard to sell racing boards to retailers.
The major Kite board manufacturers have not been making many
racing boards for some time due to the above reasons.
As a consequence, Kite racing boards are not widely available
& kite racing has not been enjoying the same growth the rest of the
Kite boarding market has.2. The infrastructure required will be minimal.

This is a non argument to replace windsurfing, but is an
argument to replace some of the other Olympic Sailing Classes.
Infrastructure for windsurfing is less than required for kite
racing as the boards are the same size & Kite rigging and launching
areas require more space than to rig & launch windsurfers.
Windsurfing certainly requires less infrastructure than all
other sailing classes.
The infrastructure in terms of developing kite surfing compared
to windsurfing may in fact be more in some locations where a higher
ratio of support boats to sailors may be required.

3. The potential exists to bring in new countries to the
sport of Olympic Sailing, and at Council, there was support from every
continent and region: Europe, Caribbean, South America, North America,
Oceania, Asia, Africa and the Mid-East.

Potential also exists also for windsurfing to continue to bring
new countries more than other Olympic sailing classes.
This is proven with RSX's track record of the growing number of
nations trying to qualify for the OLympic Games in Windsurfing at the
last RSX class world champs in Cadiz in 2012.

The only thing that has stopped Olympic windsurfing's continued
advance is ISAF changing the class every 8 years. The laser class is
larger than the RSX, but how long has it been intact?
Many new countries just as before, will not be able to compete in Kite racing due to a lack of ability to :
1. Keep pace with design evolution
2. lack of ability to competitive equipment
3. Compete against established nations with good programs., 4. Kites can be sailed close to shore, increasing spectator possibilities.

The length of the size of the fin is almost the same as the RSX
so in fact there is no difference about being close to the shore.
It is only ISAF that have restricted the RSX class's ability to
compete close to the beach.
In off shore gusty conditions windsurfing can in fact compete
closer to the beach than Kites.
Little has been said about the limitations of kite racing due to
unsuitable weather, launching & landing conditions. 5. There have been major advancements in safety, and the evaluation report said exactly that.

Those interested in this debate, really should read that report, linked here.
The report was widely circulated & before the May 5th
meeting.
An official letter was sent by Ben Barger the ISAF Athletes rep
asking for more detail & solid evidence to back the claims. It has
never been replied to.
Evidence to refute some of the statements in the report were
already common knowledge. The Safety issues have never been fully
answered.
Kites are banned in many more places than all other windsurfing
& sailing often due to actual historical safety reasons in that
area.
Kite surfing has possibly had more serious accidents in the last
5 years than the whole of sailing combined.
Safety concerns are a factor in any sport & for many
parents, safety & liability is a reason some choose not to do a
sport. Is there work to be done? Every time events or equipment
are changed, work is required. There will ALWAYS be more work to get a
new event established vs. the continuation of an existing one.

When something is not broken & already established, there is a lot less work to do than with an unknown quantity.

By 2015 everyone would have seen kite racing naturally
evolve without as much "panicked action to get up to speed" and risk as
it will be experienced now.
Environmental costs and the carbon foot print of Olympic
Sailing should be more of a consideration at this time.

It appears that ISAF & US Sailing has thrown a good toy out
of the pram on impulse for some thing new that may not be an
improvement. What is the environmental cost to this action?Does US Sailing have work to do in supporting the
industry’s pipeline development? Of course. For kiteboarding to
flourish, the kiteboarding community will need to commit to increased
support in this area. US Sailing will work on developing pathways for
kite sailors to make the Olympics, just as it has done in other classes.
It appears US Sailing has done very little if anything to
support the windsurfing industries' "pipe line development."
This has been clearly reflected by USA's Olympic windsurfing &
sailing results since 1992. US Sailing may not realize that their
inadequate approach to developing & promoting all kinds of Olympic
Sailing in the US & close developing nations has partially
jeopardized sailings position as an Olympic sport .I hope for those in
the US, & the rest of the world, US Sailing will be more mind full
of all sailing sports & their development & promotion than it
has been. The decisions on Olympic events and equipment are never
easy. But I stand behind ISAF’s decision 100%. Kiteboarding will be good
for the sport of sailing, in the USA and worldwide.If well researched & considered logical steps are taken
in a timely fashion, correct decisions are much more easily &
likely to be reached.
Kite racing is good for the sport of sailing.

It is too early to know if it will be good for and compatible
with the Olympic Sailing Classes. Another 4 years would have proved
this.

Certainly the loss of Windsurfing is a great loss for Olympic
Sailing as it is proven to be the most affordable to campaign &
largely focuses on the difference between the sailors efforts &
ability & not on the check book.
The very large numbers and range of nations currently competing
on a large range of windsurfers around the globe dwarfs the numbers kite
racing.
Why drop the 2nd strongest Olympic sailing class in the world
for a sport not fully proven? This makes no sense.
I am extremely disappointed that US Sailing has not supported windsurfing in the US or globally.
US sailing have a disproportional influence compared to Asian
countries [the main area to develop sailing next]
Asian nations are big losers in this decision as they are by far
more successful in windsurfing than any other form of sailing

ISAF & US sailing may not have considered that dropping
windsurfing from the Olympics may actually further erode Sailing's
already current tenuous position as an Olympic sport.
There are already comments in the IOC from those that have
influence & a vote regarding which sports remain Olympic and
consider dropping windsurfing to be a backwards step for sailing. I hope
ISAF & US sailing reconsider their decisions in a timely fashion.
05/24/12
Sign the petition here

If you are a New York kiter you must be bumming.
This was picked up from KiteForum and is a reply that was sent to an interested kiter

Mr. (his name),

Along with other groups interested in activities
in their state parks, we have met twice with people who are interested
in engaging in kite boarding. After discussing all the locations we he
have available in state parks on bays, the Long Island Sound, and the
Ocean, we agreed that there is not a place with proximate parking where
there is not usually a heavily populated beach. Our judgment is that
the length of beach needed to lay out the gear used by kite boarders and
the potential impact on bystanders precluded us from opening beaches
with parking nearby to kite boarding. While those we met with were
adamant that they wanted to launch from remote, unpopulated beaches we
don’t have beaches that fit that description and that have legal
parking.

We could meet again with you and others interested in
kite boarding. However, nothing has changed since out meetings of two
years ago.

About Me

After starting Island Sports in 1974 I sold it in 2007 after 37 years in the retail business.Island Sports was the nations oldest and largest windsurfing and sporting goods specialty store and is still running today and serving customer in New England.In 2008 I moved to Delray Beach Florida where I worked for several years on consolidating various real estate properties and developed a long term plan for my family. I became General Manager of a real estate venture and General Partner in a partnership.In 2013 I took my state exam and became a Real Estate Associate.I specialize in buyers and can handle difficult and complex projects. I prefer to work with one client at at time.